By George - a right royal welcome

BY George - they're finally here!

Large crowds are expected to give the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with Prince George, a right royal welcome when they arrive in Sydney on Wednesday afternoon to kick off their highly anticipated tour of Australia.

After being met at the airport by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the trio will be whisked away to the Sydney Opera House for a right royal tour and a reception, to be hosted by NSW Governor Marie Bashir and Premier Barry O'Farrell.

It's expected about 400 guests will attend the reception, including former Australian cricket fast bowler Glenn McGrath and Australian Women's Cricket Team member Ellyse Perry, along with children dressed to represent all nations competing in the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

The royals are expected to meet and greet members of the public before being taken by police boat to Admiralty House where they will be hosted by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove and Lady Cosgrove.

On Thursday, the Duke and Duchess will visit communities in the Blue Mountains hit by bushfires with plans to drop in to the Royal Easter Show on Friday.

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Call for more money for Vic mine clean-up

COMMUNITY groups want a $90 million fund for new brown coal technology in Victoria's Latrobe Valley to be instead used to pay for the Hazelwood coalmine fire clean-up.

The Voices of the Valley spokesman Simon Ellis said $2 million in support announced by the Victorian government had already been spent, but the clean-up was not close to being finished.

The federal and Victorian governments each pledged $45 million to the Advanced Lignite Demonstration Program back in 2012, to entice companies to develop ways to use brown coal from the valley more profitably with reduced emissions.

"It would be an insult to Latrobe Valley residents if the state and federal government's first significant response to the Hazelwood fire was to find new coal mines and technologies," Mr Ellis said.

He said the priority should be to clean up Morwell homes and prevent any further fires at the Hazelwood mine.

At Wednesday's Hazelwood mine inquiry community consultation session in Traralgon, The Voices of the Valley will deliver hundreds of affidavits, survey responses, photos and videos collected from residents to help the inquiry with its investigation into how the fire unfolded.

The fire ignited when bushfires spread to a disused section of the mine on February 9 and burned for 45 days, shrouding nearby communities in smoke and forcing some residents to leave Morwell.

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Fan tells inquest of Hillsborough 'hell'

THE son of the oldest fan killed in the 1989 Hillsborough football stadium disaster has told an inquest jury how he and his father battled desperately for their lives after witnessing "hell before our eyes".

Gerard Baron Jr recalled how he tried to reassure 67-year-old war veteran Gerard Baron Sr as they were caught in the crush that killed 96 Liverpool supporters.

In a tribute to Mr Baron Sr, who lived in Preston, his son told how they travelled together to the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

In evidence to fresh inquests into the events at Hillsborough on April 15, 1989, Mr Baron said: "What transpired that day changed my life forever.

"Neither of us envisaged witnessing hell before our eyes, nor did we expect to be fighting so desperately for our lives, as were so many others.

"The very last words I said to my father were, 'You will be okay'. How wrong I was."

Mr Baron had flown to the UK from his home in South Australia to give evidence to the inquest court in Warrington, Cheshire.

In his evidence he described Mr Baron Sr, a retired postal inspector, as a doting father to seven children, a supportive husband, a loving grandparent and a dear friend to many.

Mr Baron added that his father - whose brother played for Liverpool in the 1950 FA Cup Final - had a phenomenal football knowledge and was a "sportsman, serviceman and worthy citizen".

Nine other family members read tributes to their loved ones during the sixth day of the fresh inquests, including Sara Williams, whose late mother Anne Williams played a leading role in the campaign for the original inquest verdicts to be quashed.

The campaigner, whose 15-year-old son Kevin was among Hillsborough's victims, died from bowel cancer in April last year.

"I make this statement on behalf of all our family and friends, who all loved Kevin, but in particular for my mum Anne, who would have loved to have been standing here telling you all about Kevin and his cheeky ways," her daughter told the inquest jury of seven women and four men.

Ms Williams said Kevin, from Formby, Merseyside, was "mad about football, but crazy about Liverpool Football Club".

Her voice breaking with emotion, she told the inquest: "Kev was really close to mum - it would be absolutely no surprise to me if the word 'mum' was his last.

"My mum fought hard over the years to get the truth uncovered about what happened at Hillsborough.

"It is only now that I have children of my own that I understand the relentless determination that came so naturally to her, because of the love that she had for Kevin."

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Aussie tenor Skelton wins top opera award

AUSTRALIAN heroic tenor Stuart Skelton has been named male singer of the year at the second International Opera Awards in London.

The 45-year-old singer from Sydney gave a surprise performance at the awards ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel.

Skelton was given the top gong for his performance in Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes at the English National Opera (ENO).

The Australian beat rivals from Germany, France, Italy, the United States and Sweden.

Skelton considers the ENO his home company. His house debut was as Laca in the 2006 production of Jenufa.

"I was born in Australia, I live in the United States, but ENO is the company that has always been there," the tenor said.

"It takes risks, and when you take big risks sometimes they don't pay off, but when they do, they pay off in a way other people cant re-produce."

Skelton said opera was an art form "worth shouting and screaming for".

The female singer of the year award went to German soprano Diana Damrau.

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Australia's trade performance sinks

AUSTRALIA'S standing as a global trade competitor has tumbled with exporters dogged by regulatory barriers, the Australian Industry Group says.

The World Economic Forum's global "enabling trade" index released on Wednesday showed Australia dropping six places to 23rd in 2014 from 17th in 2012, and having been ranked 14th in 2009.

Singapore topped the table, while neighbouring New Zealand was fourth.

Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox said the survey results yet again highlight Australia's poor performance in the global economy relative to its peers and competitors.

"Australian exporters continue to face many hurdles, including access to foreign markets, transport costs and regulatory barriers," Mr Willox said in a statement.

"Some of these barriers are due to the old 'tyranny of distance', but others are due to our own regulatory and procedural arrangements for outbound and inbound trade."

On market access that measures the extent and complexity of a country's tariff regime, Australia now ranks 74th, having been 44th in 2008.

On the quality, transparency and efficiency of border administration Australia stands 22nd having been 11th six years earlier, while on infrastructure it is now 20th, down from a peak of 14th in 2009.

Similarly, on its operating environment it is 19th versus 14th in 2009.

"Australian trade policies, regulations and procedures require attention in a similar manner to the many other areas of regulatory burden that are currently under scrutiny," Mr Willox said.

The results highlight the importance of free trade and multi-lateral agreements, including those with China and Japan, Australia's two largest trading partners, as well as the Trans-Pacific Partnership

He said government is putting a welcome focus on expediting these agreements and strengthening Australia's trade performance.

He said Australia hosting the G20 Leaders Meeting in November will provide another opportunity to address trade barriers and encourage expanded global trade.

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Inflation slowing in developed countries

INFLATION slowed in major developed countries in February amid a steep drop in energy prices, a report shows.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said on Tuesday consumer price inflation in its 34 member countries slowed to 1.4 per cent in February from 1.7 per cent in January.

Low inflation has become a key concern for many developed countries. Consumers and businesses delaying purchases in the hope of cheaper deals later can hurt growth.

An outright drop in prices, called deflation, can be very hard to reverse. Japan was stuck in deflation for about two decades, during which time its economy barely grew.

The US inflation rate was 1.1 per cent in February, while the European Union's was just 0.8 per cent, well below the 2 per cent many economists deem a suitable level.

The OECD, a think-tank for the world's most developed countries, said however excluding volatile food and energy prices, core inflation for its 34 members was stable for a fourth month running at 1.6 per cent.

Inflation in G-20 countries, which includes major developing countries such as Indonesia, India and Brazil, slowed to 2.3 per cent in February from 2.6 per cent in January, the OECD said.

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Pyne accused of keeping cuts in the dark

LABOR is asking what the Abbott government has to hide after it apparently failed to consult with stakeholders about any proposed changes to the Australian Education Act.

The federal opposition says Education Minister Christopher Pyne wrote to stakeholders pledging to consult with them on any changes to the legislation in March.

But Labor education spokeswomen Kate Ellis said the deadline had come and gone, suggesting cuts to "vital" funding could be on the agenda.

"Despite his promises, major education stakeholders haven't seen a draft of the act," Ms Ellis said in a statement on Wednesday.

She said the government's failure to be transparent in this case raised many questions, including whether they would be including the fifth year of Gonski funding in the upcoming budget.

Mr Pyne's office has been contacted for comment.

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Airline accident death toll fell in 2013

AIRLINE crashes killed 210 people last year, half as many as the five-year average, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) says.

The Geneva-based industry group said on Tuesday that of the 81 airline accidents in 2013, 16 resulted in fatalities.

The Asia Pacific area was among the regions where airline safety decreased last year, as the rate of 0.7 serious accidents per million flights was worse than the 2009-2013 average of 0.64, according to IATA.

Accidents involving Asian airlines last year included the Asiana Airlines crash in San Franscisco, which left three dead and 181 injured, as well as the Lao Airline crash into the Mekong river, which killed all 49 on board.

The former Soviet states were the worst-performing region last year, with 2.09 serious accidents per one million flights.

Safety improved significantly in Africa last year but the continent's airlines are only marginally safer than the ones in former Soviet countries, the statistics showed.

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Let current regulator police us: charities

SOME of Australia's biggest charities and community sector groups have banded together to warn the federal government it will commit a "huge mistake" by closing the national charity regulator.

The federal government will introduce the first of two bills disbanding the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) on its red-tape "repeal day" on Wednesday.

It will replace the commission with a smaller, charity-focused centre for excellence, which will act as an advocacy, training and development body. It will not be a regulator.

On the same day, more than 40 supporter groups - including the heads of the RSPCA, Youth Off The Streets, Lifeline and the Ted Noffs Foundation - will write an open letter to Prime Minister Tony Abbott asking the government to reconsider those plans.

"The ACNC has done what few new regulators achieve - gained widespread support across the sector it is regulating," the letter reads.

Scrapping the ACNC will be a "huge mistake" and potentially handing its powers backs to the Australian Tax Office will create more red tape and reduce services to the public and charities.

Community Council for Australia chief executive David Crosbie said returning to the "bad old days" of having the ATO determine what is and isn't a charity would create a clear conflict of interest.

"It is simply putting the fox in charge of the hen house," he said in a statement on Wednesday.

"It is a failed model from the past. It will not work."

Mr Crosbie accused the government of being dismissive of charities in assuming it knew what was better for the sector without consultation.

But Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews said the ACNC was increasing red-tape and making life harder for the sector.

"No evidence has been provided to justify establishing such a big regulatory structure with such extensive enforcement powers," he told AAP in a statement.

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Putin inks deal to incorporate Crimea

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin and leaders of Crimea and its biggest city Sevastopol have signed a treaty making the two entities new members of the Russian Federation.

The treaty goes into force immediately, but stipulates an interim period until the end of the year to formalise the accession of the 84th and 85th members of the Russian Federation.

The signing ceremony in the Kremlin on Tuesday came after an almost hour-long address to MPs and governors, in which Putin defended the move that has triggered the worst crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War.

Putin stressed that Sunday's referendum in Crimea was fully legal, noting that more than 96 per cent of voters supported accession to Russia, according to official figures.

"The numbers were fully convincing," he said.

Putin compared Crimea's accession with Germany's unification after the Cold War, stressing that Moscow had explicitly supported this "unlike some other countries".

"I am convinced that the Germans will support us," he said.

Putin rejected Western accusations that Russia had invaded and annexed a part of Ukraine.

"We are being told that there was some Russian intervention in Crimea, an aggression. That's strange to hear. I do not recall a single case in history of an intervention without a shot being fired," he said.

Putin argued that while Russia did recognise Ukraine's independence in 1991, both countries never signed a treaty delineating the border between them.

He accused the West of "double standards and straight cynicism" over the issue.

"Our Western partners, led by the United States of America, prefer not to act according to international law but according to 'might is right'," he said.

He pointed to NATO-backed bombings in Yugoslavia and Libya, which went ahead without a UN Security Council mandate, as examples.

Putin again denied that Russian soldiers had invaded Crimea, saying that Russia merely "strengthened" its forces already stationed on the peninsula.

The Russian Black Sea Fleet is based in Crimea under an agreement with Ukraine.

Putin also brushed off sanctions, saying that Russia already suffered from limitations to its economy that were a legacy of the Cold War.

In a move unprecedented since the end of the Cold War, the US and the European Union on Monday imposed sanctions on Moscow that include asset freezes and travel bans on senior Russian government officials.

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